Gary was in a Leadership Seminar and the 20 or so attendees were asked to share about a time that they had to make change in their life. Gary got called on first and he stepped up and started talking about how he used to volunteer at the Bingo booth at the church carnival. He told how people would bring their money and they purchased their bingo cards and needed change. They were in a hurry to get to the Bingo hall with their boards, and Gary was having a hard time getting the change counted as fast they were expecting it. He would carefully count it out and give them the change they needed so they could go on and play Bingo, but he often felt like people were frustrated that he counted it out so carefully. He spoke to his colleagues at the Leadership Seminar for about fifteen minutes about how he felt passionate to volunteer every year so people could enjoy their Bingo, and how important making change was for these people.
Everyone appreciated his talk and he sat down as they applauded him.
The next person got up and started talking about how an extended member of the family had needed dialysis and was confined to a wheel chair and had to move in. The family had to change their work schedules to help out the man with dialysis. Gary remembers thinking wow that was really sad. The third person got up and told yet another sad story that resulted in dramatic changes in their life.
By about the fourth sad story, Gary started realizing that this was one sad story after another, and that his story about making change for the people that wanted to pay for Bingo was not what they were looking for. Gary started giggling to himself and his buddy next to him started nudging him to stop.
He went up to the instructor afterwards and said wow I really missed that one, and she said no your story was delightful and you were the only one who has ever answered it literally.
1 comment:
This isn't particularly funny, just something my memory brings up now and again. This happened when I was a Starkey wannabe. I was working at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. I went to the cafeteria by myself for lunch and chose to order a sandwich. I went to the counter and asked for a potato salad sandwich. The clerk said, "Are you sure you want that?" I thought. "Yes, that's what I want." Again, the clerk said, "Are you sure you want a potato salad sandwich?" "Yes, that's what I want." "Ok." Well, I took one bite into that sandwich and knew that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted an egg salad sandwich. Don't order a potato salad sandwich. They don't taste very good! Sometimes I think I am losing my mind as I get old. Heck, I was losing it when I was 20years old. Mary Kay
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